VBT LDFA sells property to DTE for above-ground valves

After a closed-door session during its Jan. 11 in-person meeting, the Van Buren Township Local Development Finance Authority unanimously agreed to sell a 1.043-acre parcel it owns on the south side of Ecorse Road, west of Hannan Road, to DTE for the appraised price of $115,000.
The appraisal was completed on Dec. 22 by Frohm & Widmer, Inc., of Farmington Hills.
DTE also agreed to pay for the appraisal of the property and any other associated costs such as title work and legal review. DTE asked for 120 days to do its due diligence.
The parcel adjoins the McClaughrey Drain.
The DTE representative said this parcel would be used for a redundant pipeline they call the Van Born Pipeline to assure supply is not lost to the city during the cold. She said they are seeking to keep the gas flowing and it’s a safety issue and they are serious about safety.
She said they have a Willow Gate station on Rawsonville Road and the pipes go to the city of Wayne. The valves are above ground. She said they had been looking at three parcels in Van Buren Township. The other two are listed as 46425 Tyler Rd. and 7831 Haggerty Rd., just south of Ecorse Road.
She was informed 46425 Tyler Rd. is the address of township hall. It was suggested they were looking at the water tower property across Quirk Road.
Deputy Supervisor Dan Selman said those two properties are not owned by the LDFA and he will go to the assessor’s office and get parcel numbers on the other two they are interested in buying.
The parcel that was sold was part of the LDFA’s work on the Visteon Village construction and was not needed at the end of the project.
John Delaney, second vice chairman of the LDFA, has been gathering information and encouraging the LDFA to move forward and sell the property to get it back on the tax rolls.
Deputy Selman said mailers went out to the abutting property owners to see if they were interested in the property and the township got no reply.
The meeting was being led by Vice Chairman Doug Peters since Chairman Michael Dotson was present by Zoom.
In other business at the 45-minute meeting, the LDFA:
• Reelected Dotson as chairman, Peters as vice chairman, and Delaney as second vice chairman;
• Heard Peters say there are two seats open on the LDFA and they should look at someone from the female sex. He said there must be some businesspeople in the community who would serve. Delaney said under the state Act, members of the authority are restricted. They need another representative from Grace Lake or its JAL maintenance. He said Scott Medlen, who sits on the LDFA, is Grace Lake’s real estate manager. Peters said they were looking for volunteers. Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara said the LDFA is not the volunteers first pick, which is usually the planning commission or board of zoning appeals. Dotson suggested Theresa Antonelli from Moving the Mitten real estate or Alicia McGovern from Edward Jones Financial. Delaney said one seat has been open for nine years, maybe ten; and
• Reviewed the draft of 2021 activities prepared by Selman. He said the main thing the LDFA does is repay the debt, which it is doing with funds loaned by the township. He listed the amounts the township had loaned the LDFA to pay on the bonds – $4,175,000 so far. Peters said it should be noted that the indebtedness is because of Visteon’s failure to assist in payment of the bonds. The report said the LDFA will continue to pursue legal action against the original developer pursuant to the shortfall. Peters thanked Delaney and the staff of the township for the Sept. 11 Grace Lake event. Delaney thanked the township staff and all who pitched in.